Game apparatus.



PATENTBD JULY 23, 1907.

C. H. LEE.

GAME APPARATUS.

PPLIoATIoH FILED PB zs, 1901.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@19H11 eases CHARLES H. LEE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1907.

Application filed April 29, 1907. Serial N0 370,845.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. LEE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State oi' Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in game ap paratus, and its object is to provide a game which is adapted to be played indoors, and in which a table or board is employed, balls being placed thereupon, the said balls being adapted to be driven from end to end or side to side of the table by opposing players by means of jets of suitable gaseous fluid, preieiably airA 'lhe convenient l'orm oi my invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawing, but various changes within the scope ol the claims may be made without departing from the same.

ln order that my invention may be more readily understood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a top plan view of the apparatus; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof; Fig. 3 is a section through a portion oi one end of the table et' the apparatus, showing certain parts of the apparatus in elevation; Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 ol' Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

In the drawingawl designates a table or board and 2 designates the sides ol the apparatus which are joined at their bottom or lower edges to the sides ol' the table or board.

S designates end boards or closures for the opposite ends of the apparatus and 4 designates hinges by which the end plates 3 are hinged to the table or board.

5 designates stop rods which extend from side to side of the apparatus and against which the upper portions of the end plates 3 rest.

6 designates a cover (preferably oi glass) which is connected to the upper edge ol' one of the sides 2, by means of a flexible device 7, so that the lid or cover may be raised, if desired, as indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. It is to be understood7 however, that il the apparatus is made ol' larger size, it may be impracti cable to lift the lid, as indicated in Fig. 4, in which case it would, of course, be unnecessary to hinge it to the sides oi' the apparatus.

It will be observed that the upper edges ol' the end plates 3 are located below the cover or lid 6, so as to leave a space between the said upper edges and the cover or lid, as indicated in the drawing. The cover or lid 6 is shorter in length than the table l. The distance between the points ot' connection olf the end plates 3 and the table l is greater than the length ol' the lid or cover (i so that in order to bring the upper edges ol the end plates into substantial alinement with the opposite ends of the lid or cover it is necessary to incline them inwardly, as illustrated in the drawings. The advantage of inclining the end plates as indicated will be pointed out hereinaiter.

The table or board l is provided at its center with a groove or depression l0 which extends from side to side of the table, the purpose of which is to facilitate the positioning of the balls ll at the center oi the table in order to begin the playing of a game. Upon the opposite sides of the groove or depression l0 small holes l5 are provided in the bottom oi the table for the reception oi pins IG. These pins are removable so that a greater or less number oi the same may be left in place during the playing oi a game. It desired, all ot the pins may be removed, or there may be a greater number oi pins upon one side oi the depression l0 than upon the other. This is a matter entirely within the control of the players. Ii one player is more skiliul than another, the inequality due to skill may be compensated for by having a different number oi pins upon the opposite sides oi the groove or depression l0.

In order to provide special means for placing the balls ll in the groove or depression l0, I have provided a door 17, hinged at 1S to the central portion oi one edge Vof the table l. The table is provided at each oi its ends with a depression I9 extending from side to side oi the table, which is formed by cutting away a portion ot the material thereof. The inner edges of the depres- -sions 19 are located a short distance inside the lines of the upper edges oi the end plates 3, but such inner edges are located outside ot the line oi jets of air which may escape from the air nozzles, so that after the balls ll are placed in the depressions I9, they pass underneath the over-hanging end plates 3 and are outside oi' the line oi' draft oi the jets oi air from the air nozzles.

2O designates pipes connected to a source ot air under pressure (not shown), the upper ends oi which pipes are provided with laterally extending portions 2l provided with valves 22 which are adapted to open and close the passages through the said pipes.

23 designates flexible tubes which are connected to the ends oi the laterally extending portions 2l. The outer ends oi these flexible tubes are provided with nozzles 25, which are adapted to be inserted in the space between the upper edges ol the end plates 3 and the lower sides ot' the opposite end portions oi the lid or cover G, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 2 of the dravings.

As illustrated, the apparatus is designed to be used in connection with a source ol air supply under pressure iroin any suitable mechanical device which may be employed ior this purpose, but it is desired that itbe und erstood that the flexible tubes may be disconnected from the laterally extending pipes 2l and applied to the mouth, so that the game may be played by persons blowing through the said tubes and without the employment of air through the pipe 20 from a source of air pressure resulting from mechanical means or appliances.

It will be observed that two flexible tubes are shown in the drawings at each end ot the table so that four persons may play the game on the apparatus, as illustrated, but the number of these tubes may be varied, either by increasing or decreasing the number. If desired, only one oi the tubes at each end may be elnployed.

In the playing oi the game, the balls are placed at the center of the board in the groove l0. The players take positions at opposite ends of the table and direct the nozzles of the flexible tubes 23 toward the balls, to drive them toward the opposite ends of the table under the influence of the jets 'of air escaping from the nozzles. The endeavor of the players is to drive the ball or balls toward the opposite end of the table beyond the ends of the nozzles and into the depressions 19, as indicated at the left hand side of Fig. 2 of the drawings. Ii a person standing say at the iight hand side of Fig, 2 of the drawings succeeds in driving the ball or balls toward the lett into the depression at the left hand side oi Fig. 2 of the drawings in opposition to the efforts of a person standing at the left hand side of Fig. 2 of the drawings, the game is won by him and the score may be kept by placing a score pin 30 in holes 3l provided in a score plate 32 secured to one side of the apparatus.

Having thus described my invention, I claim l, In a device of the character described, the combination ot' a table, side and end plates connected to the said table, the said end plates being' inclined upwardly and in wardly, balls located upon the said table and adapted to be driven to the opposite ends of the said table underneath the inclined end plates, and means at. the opposite ends of the said device adapted to directjets of air against the said balls.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a table, side and end plates connected to the said table, the said end plates being inclined inwardly and upwardly, a cover or lid supported upon the said side plates, the opposite ends of which cover or lid are located a distance above and in substantial alinement with the upper edges of the end plates so as to leave an elongated space between the said end plates and the said cover or lid, balls located upon the said table and adapted to be driven thereover by means of iets of air to the opposite ends of the said table underneath the said inclined end plates, and moans at the opposite ends of the said device adapted to be extended through the spaces between the end plates and the cover or lid to direct jets of air against the said balls.

Jl. ln a device of the character described, the combination of a table, side and end plates connected to the said table, a cover or lid supported upon the said side plates,

the opposite ends of which cover or lid are located a dis-- tance above the upper edges lof the end plates so as to leave an elongated space between'the said end plates and the said lid or cover, balls located upon thev said table and ltion of a table, side and end plates connected to the saidV table, a cover or lid located upon the upper edges of the said side pieces, the opposite ends of the said coveror lid being located a distance above the upper edges of the end plates, pins secured upon the said table and being located upon opposite sides of a central line across the said table, balls adapted to be driven over the said table'under the niiuence oi' jets of air, and means located at the opposite ends of the said device and being adapted to be inserted in the spaces between the said lid or cover and the upper edges of the said end plates to direct the jets of air against the said balls.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a table, side and end plates connected to the said table, a cover or lid located upon the upper edges of the; said side pieces, the opposite ends of thesaid cover orilid beingr located a distance above the upper edges of the end,A`

plates, pins secured upon the said table and being located upon opposite sides of a central line across the said table,`

halls adapted tobe driven over the said table under the in v lluence o1 jets of air, means located at the opposite ends of the said device and being, adapted to be inserted in the spaces between the said lid or cover and the upper edges of the said end plates to direct the jets ot' air against the said balls, and a pipe for supplying' air to the said means.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a table, side and end plates connected to ihersaid table, the said end plates being inclined upwardly and in wardly, a cover or lid supported upon the said side plates, the opposite ends of which cover or lid are located a distance above the uppe'r edges of the end plates so as to leave an elongated space between the said end plates and the said cover or lid,.depressions in the opposite ends of the said table which extend underneath the overhanging end plates, balls located upon th'e said table and adapted to be driven into the said depressions underneath the said end plates, and means at the opposite ends of the said device adapted to be extended through the spaces between the end plates and the said cover or lid to direct iets of: air against the said balls.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have hereunto signed my name this 25th day of April, A. Di 1907.

CHARLES H. LEFT.

In vthe presence oflliviN SHUrP, Jr., LAURA Kr.uiNluinnnn.

4soA 

